Love is Complicated
by The Emcee
Summary: A Little Vampire ficlet. Tony and Rudolph are together, but Gregory starts developing feels for Tony as well. Not suitable for young children.
1. School

Summary: Rudolph and Tony are together, but what happens when Gregory gets interested in Tony as well? Contains love triangle and slash. Not suitable for young children. This is set when Tony and Rudolph are teenagers.

Love is Complicated

Tony sat at his desk, trying to do his homework. He groaned and sat back in his chair. _Math shouldn't be a school subject! This is torture, _he thought. Looking at his clock, he sighed. Eleven thirty. Perfect. Two hours wasted all because of school. _What a rip off. I'm going to bed. _He got off his chair and stripped down to a pair of boxers.

"Good thing school ends a few days from now. I need a summer vacation," he mumbled, closing his eyes.

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"Man, I'm tired," Tony said as he and Rudolph walked towards study hall, third period.

"Late night doing homework, hon?" Rudolph asked, with a smirk on his face. He received a glare from Tony.

"Don't call me hon."

"Ah, you take the fun out of everything, hon." Rudolph laughed as Tony stuck out his tongue.

"You better watch it or I'll spread your diary all over the internet."

"Ha! You don't know my password."

"Oh, don't I, Honeybuns?" It was Tony's turn to laugh.

"You wouldn't." Tony looked at him. "...Yes you would..."

"Consider it a warning."

"I consider it an insult, on my part. We're together and I can call you whatever I want when we're not at school. But while we're here, I can only address you by Tony? What the bloody hell?" Rudolph asked, as they sat down in the cafeteria seats.

"No. You could also address me as Master. But that'd never happen. Damn, these seats are cold!"

"They're cafeteria seats. What do you expect?" Tony looked at his boyfriend in surprise.

"Aw, I'm sorry, Ruddy. It's just near the end of school-"

"Four days left."

"And with all the teachers trying to finish with the units we've been learning and the homework...It gets frustrating. But, I guess it'd be okay if you called me hon." Rudolph smiled.

"Why thank you, hon. I knew I'd win. I always do."

"You do not!" Rudolph arced an eyebrow. "Well, not all the time."

"Man, you guys are noisy," said a voice from behind them.

"Gregory? What're you doing here?"

"I finished all my work early so my teachers put me in here. Said it'd be the best place from me. Yeah right. This is my first time in study hall and I'm already bored to death."

"It's not that bad, Gregory," Tony said, getting out his unfinished math homework. "At least you can do homework you didn't finish the night before."

"Besides, you're a senior. This is your last year," Rudolph added, opening a book and reading.

"Hey, how come you're reading?" Tony asked.

"Because. I, unlike some people, actually do their homework and get it done."

"Show off."

"Gotta love me, dude."

The Emcee: Okay, should I continue or not?


	2. I got fired

The Emcee: Well, since I didn't get any complaints, I'll continue with the story.

Love is Complicated

"Thank god it's Friday!" Tony exclaimed throwing himself onto Rudolph's bed.

"There's only two days of school left. I don't see why you complain as much as you do," Rudolph said, sitting on the desk chair. "Can't you get another chair? This one's very uncomfortable."

"Ruddy, look at it this why: be glad you're sitting on something. And school's a drag. They only make us go so we don't bum around the house. The only good thing about school is that you get to hang with friends."

"Well, I rather liked the teachers. And the work wasn't so bad."

"Yeah. But two years from now, we won't have to do work. We'll be seniors. And after that, no more school!"

"Ah, but college," Rudolph said in contrast to his lover.

"Eh, college is just there for kicks." Seeing Rudolph's look of disapproval, he added, "But I do want to get a degree in teaching."

"Teaching is alright. However, I desire a more quiet work space. A Librarian perhaps."

"You guys talk about the most boring of things."

"Gregory, what're you doing?" Rudolph asked his older sibling. "Eavesdropping, I suppose."

"Quite the contrary, little brother. I had nothing else better to do."

"Sure, you didn't. Don't you have a job?"

"I did," Gregory said, pealing a banana's peal back and taking a bite.

"What happened?" Tony asked, turning his head to see him properly.

"I was fired."

"Why?"

"Because."

"Because why?"

"The manager hated me, the gay fuck."

"Why did he hate you?" Tony arced sm eyebrow.

"Yes. I wonder why? After all, who could ever hate you?" Rudolph asked, snickering slightly.

"Shut up! He tried to make a move on me, and I punched his nose. Bled pretty badly. Not that I'm complaining much. He deserved it."

"What!" Tony and Rudolph said in union.

"What're you two deaf? He tried to make a move on me." He threw the banana peal into the trash can across from the bed.

"Do mother and father know?"

"No. Why should I tell them?"

"Because he made a move on a minor." Ruddy said.

"Here we go again..." Tony mumbled to himself while shaking his head.

"It's against the law to make a move on a minor unless you've received their consent first. If he did do anything and was caught, he could be tried for sexual assault and harassment."

"Well, the point is he made a move on me, I punched him, and I got fired. Makes me wonder if he even looked at my application." Gregory replied. "Well, I'm going. I'm bored." And he walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. Tony looked at Rudolph in surprise.

"Do you believe what he said?"

"I don't know, Tony. I mean, Gregory can come up with some pretty wicked stuff. But I don't think even HE could lie about something like this."

"Poor guy. I'm gonna see if he's okay," Tony got up, off the bed.

"Don't get lost like last time!" Ruddy called, reading the book from the day before.

"That only happened once!"


	3. Dream

Love is Complicated

"Gregory!" Gregory turned, to see Tony running down the hall after him.

"What d'you want, Tony?" Gregory opened his bedroom door and sat on his bed.

"You okay? You didn't seem to fine back there." Tony asked, following suit.

"I'm fine..." Gregory said. Tony looked out the door. He knew it wasn't going to be easy getting Gregory to open up, but he didn't know it'd be this hard. Sighing, he went to leave, when a tug on his shirt prevented him from doing so. Turning back, he didn't get time to react to Gregory's lips upon his own. The kiss was soft, and warm. Gregory pulled away, blushing furiously.

"'M sorry." He mumbled. "I, I gotta go." And he left the room, leaving a very confused Tony in his wake.

"How was Rudolph's, Tony?" his mom asked, from the kitchen as Tony came in the front door.

"It was great mom," he replied with a smile before heading upstairs. Throwing his backpack to the side, he laid on his bed and turned on his tv. But he couldn't concentrate on the show. All he could think about was Gregory and the kiss they shared.

'_Why did he leave when I didn't want him to?_ He thought. _'And what am I going to tell Rudolph? I can't tell him what happened! He'd hate me, and probably kill Gregory. Oh, man, what a fine mess I've gotten myself into this time. _

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Gregory was lying in his bed, trying to sleep. However, sleep did not come to him. Sighing, he opened his window and climb up onto the roof. It was a clear, breezy night. Not a cloud in sight, leaving a full moon visible for all to see. He sat down, and stared into the distance, deep in thought.

_What the hell did I do! I mean, yes, I like Tony more than I should. But, he's Rudolph's boyfriend, for god sakes! I can't make a move on him. Damn, I need help. _

A crow flew down and settled beside the troubled teenage. It cawed, making it's presence know. Gregory looked down at the fowl and growled.

"Go away, bird! You need not be here!" It stayed put. "Shoo!"

"Caw! Caw!" It got up but it didn't fly away. Instead, it flew around the older boy. Growling in annoyance, he got up.

"I'm going back inside. Damn crow..."

Once inside, Gregory was finally able to get to sleep. While he slept, he had a dream...

**Running through the brush, Gregory came to a lake in the middle of a thick wood. Looking around, he saw no one. A few birds flew over head. He walked towards the lake, curiosity getting him where it hurt the must(A/N: Owie!). Kneeling down, he looked at his reflection in the water. Suddenly, it began to ripple violently. Gregory looked up to see the cause. Standing before him was...**

"**Tony?" he asked. The blonde haired boy simple smiled. He walked towards Gregory, who found his legs useless. Reaching his destination, Tony looked up at the older boy. His eye's looked full of tears, in danger of falling. A breeze blew across the water, creating more ripples as Tony parted his lips. **

"**Gregory..."**

The alarm clock went off. Morning had arrived, along with Saturday. Groaning, Gregory got out of his bed and made his way down stairs. His parents, and Anna were already at the table. Looking up from her toast, Anna smiled at him.

"Good morning, Gregory. Sleep well?" she asked.

"I guess you can say that," he said with a smirk and sat down.


	4. Thoughts

The Emcee: I know, it's been awhile since I've written. But here's the fourth chapter. I own none of the characters. R&R. Thanks.

Love Is Complicated

_What a weird dream, _Gregory thought to himself as he walked to school. _And the school year ending doesn't help me either. Tony'll probably be coming over almost everyday like he does every summer vacation. To think, just today and tomorrow left..._He walked into the school and made a left, towards the history wing. The bell rang just as he entered his history class room. Glumly, he took a seat in the back of the class and waited for announcements to come on. _This is going to be a long day..._

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"Mr. Helfrick? What are we going to do today and tomorrow?" Rudolf asked after announcements ended.

"Well, Rudolf, I was planning on showing you a video about ancient Egypt. But, since it would take too long to show, I'll just have you guys watch the History of Vampirism instead," Mr. Helfrich said, smiling. Some students groaned and banged their heads on their desks. Tony, who sat beside Rudolf, looked at the former vampire.

"Isn't that lovely? We get to watch a movie about your heritage," he said, laughing slightly. Rudolf cocked a brow.

"Very funny, Anthony. Just remember, if we have any kids, it'll be there heritage too," he smirked. The comment made Tony blush and semi-glare at his boyfriend.

"Very funny, dude."

"Alrgiht. Settle down and watch the movie, class," Mr. Helfrich said as he popped the video in the VCR and turned the lights off. The video started, but Tony wasn't paying attention. He was writing in his composition book. It was almost filled; filled with stories of vampires, witches, werewolves, and the like. No one ever read them except Rudolf who said that he had talent and should show them to their English teacher. But, he hadn't, he wouldn't. He didn't want it to be the way it was when he first moved here; kids teasing him about his infatuation with vampires. It wouldn't be fair to him or Rudolf, who was sometimes teased for being Tony's boyfriend. Sure, the teasing had let up after some years, and the two now had a variety of friends with whom they often associated with.

"Are you almost finished with your latest story?" Rudolf asked him.

"Almost. I have a few more pages until it's complete," Tony replied. Rudolf smiled. He loved watching Tony concentrate on something, especially if it was something he was ardent about. It's always been that way.

"Put that away Mr. Thompson. Just because the school year is almost over, doesn't mean your education will be relaxed," Mr. Helfrich said, not looking up from the papers he was grading. Eyes wide, Tony closed his book and turned to Rudolf.

"How does he know when I'm writing?" he asked him.

"Because you get very quiet," Mr. Helfrich said. Tony gaped and turned to the tv set.

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"Today was so boring," Tony said as he, Rudolf, and Gregory walked home from school.

"I must agree. We did nothing all day but watch videos or play silly, mindless games. And we didn't have a choice. Whether we wanted to or not, he **had** to participate," Rudolf said in agreement. He and Tony talked while Gregory stayed quiet, watching the two. _Tony's so cute,_ he thought, then his eyes widened. _Where the bloody hell did that come from! I've got to stop thinking about this. _He shook his head. This time, Tony and Rudolf stopped and looked at him.

"Gregory, is something wrong?" Rudolf asked his elder sibling. Gregory turned red and started walking ahead of them.

"N-nothing's wrong. Everything's fine," he said looking straight forward. Tony just stared while Rudolf shook his own head and continued forward.

"He just keeps getting weirder and weirder," Rudolf said when Tony finally caught up. Tony blushed a little but, it went unnoticed by his companion.

"I'll say." _Considering that he kissed me Friday...,_ he thought. _Gah! Why am I thinknig about that? It's not like he was hinting anything. Or...was he? Oh my god! This is confusing me. _

Tony bade his lover farewell as they walked up to his house. Tony continued on his way home. _What a long day,_ he thought. _I can't wait until tomorrow. I guess I won't be getting much sleep tonight. Maybe I'll get a job this summer. At the local grocery store or maybe at McDonald's. What does Gregory think about me? _Tony's eyes widened again and he banged his head on the front door of his house.

"Damn it, Tony. Stop thinking about that stuff," he said in between the multiple bangings of

his head on the door. He opened it and hurried up to his room. Grunting in frustration, he flopped on the bed and fell alseep.


	5. Last day of School

The Emcee: It's been a while since I updated. I apologize. Well, here's the 5th chapter. R&R please; enjoy. :D

Love is Complicated

It was a long last day of school. The first six periods went by fast. But, the seventh period went slower than a turtle. Girls were chattering about what they were planning to do over the summer; some even crying and making their friends promises they'd never keep. Through all the chattering and year book signings, Tony sat at his desk, staring absentmindedly at the clock, watching it tick closer and closer to 12:30. Five more minutes until school ended.

"Hey, Tony?" a girl named Erica called for him. "Would you sign my year book please?" She blushed noticeably. Tony nodded and took the book from her. He opened it to the very last page where there were no other signatures.

He wrote: _To Erica. I've enjoyed your company over the passing school year. I hope to see you next year too. Have a fun summer. Your friend, Tony Thomson. _And he handed it back to her, smiling. Her blush deepened and she managed to mutter a thank you and walked away.

Tony glanced at the clock. Three more minutes felt. _Man three minutes have never lasted so long, _Tony thought, eyes still on the clock. Rudolf sat beside him.

"You know, it seems longer for the minutes to pass if you look at the clock," he said. Tony looked at him.

"I know but, there's nothing else to do," Tony replied, looking back at the clock. Rudolf chuckled slightly.

"Sure there is. You can write some more in your composition book. Or talk to some of our other classmates."

"I don't feel much like writing and most of our classmates are obnoxious asswipes."

"You've got a point there..." One more minute left...

"God, can time go any slower?" Tony asked, eyes glued to the clock, half of his butt of his chair.

"I told you that if you keep staring at it-" **RING!** The school bells rang announcing the end of the school year. Kids ran about the halls, yelling and cheering. After most of the departed, Tony and Rudolf made their way through the emptied halls.

"Finally! No more school for 3 months!(1) That God," Tony exclaimed. Rudolf laughed slightly.

"I can't be believe you. You weren't like this last year."

"Well, last year none of my teachers were assholes," Tony said as they exited the building. They stood on the steps, waiting for Gregory. After about five minutes of waiting, Rudolf spoke up.

"Where is he? He should've been here by now," he said, irritation filling his voice. Tony looked up at him.

"Maybe he's just talking with teachers about something. I've seen some seniors do that." Rudolf sighed.

"Alright. We'll wait a few more minutes. If doesn't show, we're leaving without him." And so they waited for the other boy but, he didn't show. After waiting a bit more, they finally went on their way to Rudolf's house. Their walk home was a quiet one, barely speaking at all. Finally, they made it to their destination and entered the house. Sitting at the kitchen table, apple in hand, was Gregory.

"What the blood hell are you doing here!" Rudolf yelled. Gregory calmly took a bite of his apple.

"I live here, duh," he said after he swallowed the bite of apple. This fueled Rudolf's anger.

"That's not what I meant and you know it! Why weren't you at school! Tony and I waited for twenty damn minutes for you to show and you didn't!" Putting down the apple, the older boy sighed and looked up at his younger sibling.

"Seniors got out earlier than the other classes." Rudolf stared at him, open mouthed before registering what he had said.

"Oh! That's right. I forgot..." Gregory rolled his eyes and got up.

"That's obvious." And with that he left the kitchen. Tony sat down at the table, as did Rudolf.

"Can you believe him? What nerve he's got." Tony shrugged.

"I always thought that's that what older siblings were obligated to do," he said. Rudolf sighed and put a hand on his forehead to lean on.

"Lovely...I have a headache." Tony laughed a little which resulted in a glare from his boyfriend. Leaning back in his chair, Tony shrugged.

"You really should learn to control that temper of yours, hon," he chuckled.

"Like you should talk, love." Laughter erupted from the two. From his bedroom upstairs, Gregory heard them. He shook his head and laid back on his bed.

"Those two are annoying. Well, Rudolf is anyways. Tony..." he trailed off. What was Tony to him? An annoyance? His brother's lover? A love interest perhaps? He sighed and closed his eyes.

The Emcee: So? Did you like?


	6. First day of Summer vacation

The Emcee: WEEEEEEEE! It's October! Which means HALLOWEEN! And that means SCARY MOVIES! &gets some popcorn, a blanket, and a really cute guy& WOOT! AND HERE'S CHAPTER 6!

Love is Complicated

Tony fell immediately on Rudolf's bed, after coming inside after a long days work. Rudolf's father decided to build a picnic table for some reason and had in-listed the help of Rudolf(who volunteered willingly), and Tony, who did not come so willingly. None the less, they got the table done and even started to build some benched when Rudolf's mother called them in for dinner. Thankfully, Tony bolted to the house before Rudolf or his father could blink. After finishing his meal, he decided it was time for a nap. Suddenly, the door to Rudolf's bedroom opened, and Rudolf stepped inside.

"Hey, you. You seemed a little tired down stairs," he said, sitting beside Tony on the bed.

"I am! I sweated an ocean outside! I don't care if we never have a picnic; it's not worth that much labor!" Tony exclaimed. Rudolf laughed. He laid down and hugged Tony, a small smile on his face.

"You are hopeless..."

"I am not!"

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Gregory stared into space, a tiny bit of drool coming out of his mouth as he waited for a man about 100 years old that should've died long ago, to pay his bill. _Stupid parents, making me get a job again,_ he thought bitterly to himself. _And a cashier's job at a low paying grocery store. How insulting of my talents._ Finally, the ancient being of a man got out his money and handed it to Gregory. _Ah, I love exacted change._ Handing the man his receipt, he bid him a good day.

Turning around, he leaned against his register and closed his eyes. _Just one more hour and I'm out of this shit hole._ No amount of cash was worth this torture. _Damn Thelma, taking her good old time sweeping the foyer... Fat ass slow poke..._ He was interrupted from his train of thought by a cheery voice.

"Hi, Gregory!" Turning around, Gregory saw Tony, standing in front of him in a t-shirt and a pair of dirty shorts.

"What're you doing here?" he asked.

"Your mom sent me and Rudolf to get some stuff. I didn't know you work here. Did you just start?" Gregory nodded.

"Yea... The parentals made me get this job. They said if I wasn't going to college, then I'd be working my ass off until I go. So..." Tony laughed. Somehow, that laugh made Gregory feel a little better. He looked Tony up from head to toe.

"There you are. I can't leave you alone for one second without you running off somewhere, can I?" Rudolf's annoying voice broke his elder brother's trance. Shaking his head a little, he looked up.

"Gregory, you're working here now?" Rudolf asked. Sighing, Gregory glared at his younger sibling.

"No, I'm just standing here out of sheer boredom, hoping to hell that I get some money out of it." Rudolf glared back.

"Oh shut up." He walked off toward the freezer section. Tony turned to follow him.

"See ya later, dude!"

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Rudolf sighed softly, a smile on his face, as he stroked Tony's cheek lovingly. The blond boy was sleeping, curled up on his bed, exhausted from the evenings... pervious activities. Laying down, Rudolf wrapped his arms around Tony's waist, pulling him closer. It was their first time doing anything beyond the normal make-out session. The door to his bedroom opened, and, looking up, he saw Gregory standing there.

"Mum told me to tell you not to stay up too late tonight. You have to finish those benches..." his voice trailed off a little upon seeing Tony and Rudolf naked. "Did... did you guys do it?" Rudolf smirked.

"Why? Jealous?" Gregory snorted.

"Jealous? Of what?" He closed the door and started for his room. _Goddamned brat!_


	7. Confession

_The Emcee: I know. It's been forever since I wrote something. But I'm not sorry… Anyways, here is chapter 7. Enjoy._

_Love Is Complicated_

_I can't tell him. But I have to tell him. But I can't tell him!_ Tony sighed and fall back on his bed. Guilt ate away at him as he kept recalling the kiss him and Gregory shared. Although it was just a kiss, it was still the principle of the matter. Rudolf has a very, very nasty jealous streak, even though he doesn't look it. Once when they went to the movies, Tony drooled over Johnny Depp and Rudolf threw the popcorn. Granted the popcorn was thrown on a bald, fat, old man, but still… 

_And the fact that it was Gregory makes everything ten times worse. Worse than ten times worse.__And Rudolf's supposed to come over soon. _

As if on cue, Rudolf walked into Tony's bedroom, smiling at the blonde.

"Hello, huney," he sat down on the bed and poked said honey in the side.

Tony giggled. "Don't call me honey." 

"Why not? I like honey. It's sweet and smells good just like you." 

"You always say such cheesy things dude." 

"And you always say dude. Gets kinda old, doesn't it?" Rudolf smirked as Tony grumbled and pouted. They sat in silence for a moment before Tony spoke.

"I have something serious to tell you."

"You mean you can actually be serious? You?" Rudolf chuckled, then added, "go on."

Sighing, Tony sat up and faced Rudolf. It was now or never.

"Well, remember back when Gregory lost his job cuz of that manager hitting on him?"

"Yeah."

"And remember when I went to go look for him?"

"Yeah."

"Well…uh…..erm…we..kinda..kissed…"

"…WHAT!"

"He started it… It was an accident..honestly…."

"…."

"Are..are you mad?" Tony asked, nervously. Rudolf said nothing, he just stood up and left, leaving Tony. Upset, scared, and overcome with guilt, Tony curled into a tight ball.

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Rudolf enter his home, banging open the door and slamming it shut. Luckily, his parents were out shopping or else they'd give him hell. He stomped up the stairs, rather loudly and intentionally, until he got to Gregory's room. Stopping in front of the closed door, he knocked on it hard enough to make his hand blister. Gregory didn't open the door, but spoke.

"What do you want, squirt?"

"Open this goddamn door right now or I will fucking knock it down," Rudolf growled, voice shaking out of anger. After a silent pause, the turning of a lock was heard and Gregory opened the door. 

The first thing Gregory saw was a fist coming at him then blackness. He yelled and grabbed his nose, finally realizing that Rudolf had just punched him in the face. He fell down, partly because of the punch and partly because of his own clumsiness. Taking his hand away from his nose, and upon seeing the blood, Gregory glared up at his younger sibling. 

"What the bloody hell was that for, eh!"

"What the hell would give you the idea that kissing Tony was okay! WHERE THE FUCK DID YOU GET THE NERVE TO EVEN **THINK** ABOUT IT!"

"W-what are you talking about? You're barkin' mad."

"DON'T ACT FUCKING INNOCENT! TONY TOLD ME WANT HAPPENED AND HE'D NEVER LIE TO ME! DON'T DENY IT!" 

"OKAY! Okay.."

"WHAT THE HELL MADE YOU DO IT!"

"I DON'T FUCKING KNOW!" Gregory stood up and snarled. 

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN!"

"I MEAN THAT I DON'T FUCKING KNOW ALRIGHT!"

"…"

"I swear. It just…happened. We were talking one minute and then I just…kissed him. It's not like I felt anything for him then." 

"…Felt? You mean you have feelings for him now?" 

"I don't fucking know! It's so fucking confusing and every time I try to figure it out I just get more confused!"

"Surprise, surprise…" Gregory sat down on his bed and heaved a sigh. 

"Look, I've no desire to have anything with Tony, alright?" Rudolf just stormed out, still angry. That night was the quietest night at the dinner table. 


	8. Worst Summer Vacation EVER!

The Emcee: It's been a while since I updated this story huh? Well, here is the 8th chapter. Sorry for the delay! R&R, enjoy.

_Love Is Complicated_

It had been one full week since Tony had seen or spoken to Rudolf. And it was the worst week of his young life. It was even worse than when Rudolf was turned back to human and had forgotten everything. At least then they could start over. But now…

After Rudolf left, Tony had curled into a ball and cried his eyes out. Yes, they've had arguments before, but not like this. This was different. Tony had tried to speak to his boyfriend. He went over to his house the next day, but Rudolf refused to see him. It was around the fifth visit that day that Tony had been told to, "Go the bloody hell home and stop bugging me!"

Tony translated that as: we're over and I never want to see you again! Which shattered him completely. He had never gone one day without at least talking to his better half, and to think that they're no longer together… When he got home, Tony had collapsed on the couch and cried again. His mother came in from the kitchen, worried, and Tony told her about the fight.

She hugged him tightly and reassured him that it'd all turn out right in the end. And that Rudolf loved him and just needed time. But it was hard to believe that, seeing as how Rudolf had basically cut off their relationship. And one week later, it was still hard to believe that it'd all be okay. How could it?

Tony made his way down the stairs of his home sluggishly, his mind elsewhere. It was around ten in the morning and he had just woken up. He sat down on the floor once he made it to the living room and turned on the Game Cube. Time for some Zelda-distraction-kick-butt-action. For the past week, he's been playing video games nonstop, rarely leaving the house, as a distraction. If he thought about Rudolf or anything related to him, Tony would start tearing up. It was too painful to remember, so he cast it aside. Granted, he'd been having nightmares lately, and that was a bitch to put up with.

His mother walked into the living room upon hearing the game. "How are you feeling, honey? Are you hungry?" Her voice was gentle and soft, not wanting to startle her son. Once he got home after his fight with Rudolf, he burst into tears, and when she asked what was wrong, loudly to be heard, he flinched and cried harder. It was right to assume that Rudolf had yelled at him and it was…is affecting her child. Tony looked over at his mom, and her worry increased once she saw the bags under his eyes.

"I'm fine Mom. Thanks though." Sighing, she crept closer to him and knelt down, hugging him.

"You need to eat something, sweetie. You haven't had anything to eat for a few days…"

"I know Mom… When I'm hungry, I'll get something." Reluctantly, she nodded and stroked his hair, kissing his temple, before she left him be.

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Rudolf looked out of his bedroom window and sighed heavily. He missed Tony, tremendously, but how could he face the other boy after he had yelled at him and treated him horribly? Tony was probably pissed at him for doing so. What if Tony didn't even want to see him anymore? What if he didn't want to be with Rudolf or want an apology? How could Rudolf be sure that he'd be forgiven? The answer was simple: he wasn't sure, so he wouldn't do anything. Just the mere thought of Tony rejecting him saddened him considerably.

And Rudolf desperately wanted to make up with Tony. Yes, he had left Tony by himself with that broken hearted look on his face and yes, he had spoke to him harshly. He knew he shouldn't have taken his anger and jealousy out on Tony; he was the victim here. As far as Rudolf's concerned, Gregory molested his boyfriend.

Boyfriend….

Were they even still together anymore? And if they were, did Tony want to stay together or break up? Rudolf chewed on his lip, thinking about it. He didn't think Tony would, but then again, there was no way for him to be certain. And he was too much of a coward to show up at Tony's house. After all, Tony might tell him to go away just like Rudolf had.

A soft knock on his open door caused Rudolf to look from the window to Anna, who was leaning against the door. She smiled softly at her brother, who tried, and failed miserably, to smile back. He turned his gaze once more out of the window and heard her approach.

"You're still upset brother," Anna spoke softly as she looked out of the same window as her brother.

"Yes, Anna. I am…" He looked over at her, his emotions clearly reflected in his eyes. "I don't know what to do. He might not want anything to do with my now. Even if he wanted to see me, what if he just wanted to be friends? I love him, Anna. I can't go back to being just friends." Anna hummed quietly and wrapped an arm around Rudolf's shoulders. "What would you do, Anna?"

She shrugged. "Not sure really. Of course, what would I do for the man I love?"

Rudolf stared at her for a minute before looking back out the window. Slowly, he nodded and leaned forward, peering outside. "You're right."


	9. Apology

A/N: I know, it's been a while. But I'm going to try and update more often. This story is about to wrap up soon, and I'm excited to see the characters reach their own destinations. To all of you who have read my story and have liked it, I thank you. To those of you who didn't like it, I thank you for at least giving it a try. And to all of you who have read any of my stories, thank you. I appreciate it. Now, on with the story!

Love Is Complicated

Taking a deep breath, Rudolf raised his fist in the air, poised to knock, ready to take back his Tony back, whether he has to force Tony to be with him or not. He sighed and lowered his hand. He was being a coward, he knew that, but he was scared to death. After all, there were a thousand things that could go wrong with his confrontation with Tony.

Tony could reject him. He could chose to not take him back. He could yell at him, scream, assault him; Tony could do a number of things, all of which would leave Rudolf in ruins.

Usually, Rudolf would try and look on the bright side, but for some reason, he thought best to not do that. Why get your hopes up when there's more than a fifty percent chance that all your efforts will end in failure? And with a situation like this, caution would be better than optimism. He would have to tread delicately if he wanted Tony back. What with all the pain he was sure to have caused…

It was now or never. If Rudolf wanted to show Tony how much he loved the blonde, he'd have to man up and find the courage to do so. Once again, he raised his fist to the door and, finally, he knocked. Once. Twice. Three times. Then he waited. Behind the door, he heard some shuffling, and perhaps the television, but nothing more than that. It was a few seconds before the door was answered by Mrs. Thompson, who smiled when she saw Rudolf.

"Oh, Rudolf, this is a surprise. But thank goodness you're here. Tony's in the living room. He's been playing video games nonstop, he hasn't been eating… Please, you've got to help him. I have a feeling that you're the only one who **can** help him." Her rushed explanation had left Rudolf's head spinning slightly. Shaking his head, he nodded.

"I'll do my best." She smiled in relief.

"Thank you, sweetie. Come on in, he's playing those video games again…"

Rudolf entered the house, sucking in a breath. He made his way quietly to the living room and his breathing hitched when he saw Tony, sitting on the floor in a baggy t-shirt and his boxers. Even from the back, Rudolf could tell that the blonde didn't look too well. His hair was messy and unkempt, he was slouching, and he looked like he lost some weight.

Quietly, Rudolf approached him, and from the side view, he saw that Tony looked tired, sad, and like he'd given up. He was barely focused on the video game due to the fact that the character was constantly tumbling or falling or dying. Rudolf was a few feet away from Tony, who had yet acknowledge his presence. Inhaling deeply, Rudolf took the risk and spoke up.

"If you keep dying, you're never going to advance to the next level." Tony practically jumped ten feet in the air, the controller flying out of his hand and landing on the floor with a load _CLUNK_.

"Holy crap, don't scare me like that! I mean my God, I-" Tony stopped once he looked up at Rudolf. His face, previously expressing shock and fright, now showed pain and sorrow beyond any that Rudolf had experienced before. And it killed the him that he was the one to cause all this pain to Tony.

"Oh… Hi." Rudolf's heart clenched at the tone of Tony's voice. He sat down on the couch, and bit his lip to keep himself from bursting into tears. There were so many things he wanted to say, but he didn't know where to begin. The air around them held a dreadful awkwardness that didn't help the silence that was between them. Rudolf, at a loss for words, said the first thing that came to mind.

"Hi." Tony shifted his position on the floor. Turning off the video game, he turned his body so that it faced Rudolf, but he refused to look the other in the eye. Tired of the space separating them, Rudolf dropped to the floor and crawled a few inches over to Tony.

"There's so many things I want to say, but I don't know where to start," Rudolf confessed. Tony picked at the carpet.

"Try the beginning." Tony's response made Rudolf smile sadly and he nodded in agreement.

"All right. First off, I'm sorry. For everything. For being a cold-hearted jerk, for not telling you how I felt, for treating you the way I did, and for saying the things I said to you. I was hurt and angry and I felt betrayed. But after thinking it over, I realized that I was the one who was the betrayer. I did the one thing I didn't ever want to do: I hurt you." Tony finally looked up at Rudolf, but the other's gaze was focused downward.

Tony inched closer, wanting Rudolf to continue as he thought over everything that was being said.

"I was so wrapped up in myself that I didn't think about you or what I had made you feel. And then Anna talked me out of my selfishness, and made me realize that there is little to nothing that I wouldn't do for you. Because I love you, and I'm not going to let anything or anyone stand between us.

"I talked to Gregory - well, I actually punched him once, or twice - but we did talk." Rudolf paused when he looked up at Tony, seeing the blonde in shock. He continued. "Anyway, Gregory is confused and he needs time to mull things over, but he knows that he shouldn't have kissed you because he thinks that he made you confused or something like that. I'm not mad at you, or at Gregory anymore, and if I could go back in time to stop myself from causing you so much pain, I would.

"But I can't go back in time." Rudolf looked Tony in the eye and sighed, releasing the edgy breath slowly. "I'm so sorry for hurting you, for not trusting you when I should have, and for being so cruel to you, the person whom I love more than anything."

Tony looked like he was about to cry, and he started to after a few seconds of contemplation. Rudolf lifted a finger to Tony's face and gently brushed some tears back. Quivering, Tony scooted closer to Rudolf and leaned forward, arms wrapping around the teenager. Rudolf embraced the sobbing boy tightly, loving the way Tony fit just right in his arms.

"S-so… So does this mean… We… We're back t-together?" Tony asked in between sobs. Rudolf stroked his back, running his hands smoothly over the wrinkled shirt before answering.

"I didn't think we broke up. But yes, we're back together." Rudolf bent down a bit and kissed Tony's forehead. "I love you Tony Thompson."

"I love you t-too, Rudolf."


	10. Changes

A/N: I do believe that this is the last chapter. Sorry it's been a while, I got caught up in my classes and work. And it didn't help that I had…err, still have, a research paper to do for Criminology class.

Anyway, here's the last chapter. Tell me what you think. And thanks to all of you who've read my story! R&R. Enjoy.

Love Is Complicated

It wasn't until eight-thirty that night that Rudolf made it home. He expected his mother and sister to be in bed - something about going out shopping the next day or something - but that wasn't the case. His mother sat at the kitchen table, along with Anna and Gregory. Looks of worry and concern were plastered on the faces of both his mother and sister. Gregory looked troubled himself, but also relieved.

Closing the door, the looked at each of them before speaking up.

"Where's father?"

"He's upstairs, cooling off from the argument he and Gregory just had." His mother's voice sounded strained, like she had been crying.

"Why were they fighting?" He sat down beside Gregory and looked quizzically at his brother. Shifting in his chair, Gregory sat up a bit and cleared his throat.

"I'm going away for a while. Staying with Aunt Germaine in Italy."

It took a few minutes for his brain to process the information. After all, he did just return from his boyfriend's house. And they had done a lot more than the usual make out session. So, it would only be natural that his brain was fried, if only for a little while. But this sudden revelation had brought him down from Cloud 9 and fast.

Gregory was going away.

Far away.

For a good while.

…Why?

"But why?" He asked looking from his brother to his mother, then back again. Anna got up from the table and stormed out, obviously upset by the matter. It took a while for anyone to speak up again. At first, it looked like Gregory was about to open his mouth, but their mother beat him to it.

"He needs to spend some time away from home, Rudolf. To clear his head of his difficulties. Maybe find work. That sort of thing. He'll write and call of course, so it'll be like he never left."

His mother's voice was soft, understanding, and one that no one could argue with. When she spoke in that voice, Gregory couldn't say no. Nodding, Rudolf looked down at the table and sighed. Things had changed vastly in such a short amount of time. Which was good right? Because change allowed for growth, and growth was always good.

Right?

* * *

Tony came over on the day Gregory was scheduled to leave. A taxi was parked out front of the house and Gregory was carrying his luggage to the trunk, packing it safely within. Rudolf stood on the porch and watched as his brother said good-byes to his mother, father, and sister. Then, he turned to Rudolf and Tony.

"It's not your fault, why I'm going." He spoke to them in a low voice, staring them in the eye to drive his point across. Nodding stiffly, Rudolf looked down, not wanting to talk about it.

"You don't have to go. Can't you work it out here?" Tony asked him. Gregory was his friend, and he didn't want to see him go. Plus, Rudolf was so upset by it, after all Gregory was his only brother and they were close enough for Rudolf to be silent and distant. Gregory smiled, a sad smile, and he lightly punched Tony's shoulder.

"Hey now, don't go completely gay on me, yeah?" They both laughed before the mood turned serious again. "I need to get away, from home, from this town. But I'll be back. When I'm at the place I need to be, I'll be back."

And with that, he turned and left. The taxi pulled away from the house, its passenger tucked safely inside. Anna started to cry, causing her mother to cry silently as she pulled her daughter into a hug. Frederick merely gazed, steel-faced, in the direction the taxi had left. The only sounds that were made were Anna's cries and their beating hearts.

* * *

It was a good long time before Rudolf andTony saw Gregory again. A few years, in fact. It was when both he and Rudolf had started their second year of college that Gregory returned home. He hadn't changed much, except for his shorter and less greasy looking hair and he had gotten tanner. But other than that, his outward appearance hadn't changed much.

It was just surprising that he came home at all. After the first year, Rudolf had resigned himself to the fact that his brother might never come home. So Tony had to laugh when he saw Rudolf's eyes bug out as an expression of pure happiness and shock enveloped his face at the sight of his brother sitting at the kitchen table.

"Gregory! You ding bat! When did you get home?" Rudolf gave his brother a hug and looked him over. "You're tan. And decent looking for a change."

Gregory smirked and ruffled Rudolf's hair.

"I could say the same thing for you." The three of them sat down and started talking. It was later at night when Rudolf asked the question that had been plaguing his mind.

"So, Gregory. Did you find what you went looking for?" A calm silence resounded throughout the kitchen before his brother answered, a small, calm smile spreading across his face.

"Yeah I did. And don't worry. Tony's safe from me."

Rudolf nodded before smirking.

"That's good to know. Because if you pulled another move on my boyfriend, I'd have to beat the shit out of you."

"Hey! Don't talk about me like I'm not here dudes." Tony's eyes narrowed and he glared at the brothers. It didn't give him his desired affect, however, because Gregory smirked and shook his head while Rudolf just smiled.

"I cannot believe that you're still saying 'dude' after all these years." Gregory said to him. Tony leaned back in his chair and folded his arms across his chest, still glaring.

"Old habits die hard."

"I suppose. So, what were you saying about kicking my ass? The last time you tried that, you failed horribly." Gregory looked at Rudolf, a smirk spreading across his face yet again. Rudolf smiled coyly and leaned forward.

"In case you haven't noticed, I've been working out a bit since you've been gone."

It was Tony's turn to shake his head as the two brothers continued to bicker back and forth. Although Gregory had been gone, things hadn't changed much at all. And for that, he was grateful.


End file.
